1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to correlating biological phenotype with behavior and emotions. In particular, the present invention provides methods and databases for relating social behavior and emotions to biological phenotype.
2. Description of the Related Technology
There is an enormous interest in understanding and predicting consumer behavior. For example, many online retailers have used consumer browsing history to find out in which merchants the consumer is interested and from which the consumer may buy. As a result, targeted advertisement may be directed at the consumer for recommending suitable merchants. Several groups have used user feedback to correlate preferences for products, activities, and beliefs (for example, Hunch: www.hunch.com). Others have used shopping behavior as a guide to recommend future product purchases (e.g. Amazon). Other specialized programs (“apps”) for devices include software that gathers and compares data for similar users for future prediction. One example is restaurant apps, where users rate restaurants and data is collected and used for prediction of future restaurant choices.
Methods of predicting consumer behavior have also been described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,200,525, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a process and system for predicting consumer behavior by combining converted information from disparate databases including, for example, consumer transactional information.
The ability to predict future purchasing choices is highly desirable in order to allow sellers to be able to locate likely consumers during a purchase cycle. With the right information, merchants can achieve customized, targeted advertising and offer incentives to the right customers (e.g. discount coupons). It is also widely recognized that consumers desire to identify, via search of online inventories, exactly what they want quickly, easily and with mobile devices. Making searches more efficient also engages users and provides them with significant added value. Traditionally, quantitative physical biological parameters are not used for understanding human behaviors or shopping experiences.
Several groups have used genetic fragments such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or DNA sequence variations that occur when a single nucleotide—A, T, C or G—in the genome or other shared sequence differs between members of a biological species or paired chromosomes in an individual). Questionnaires can be used to correlate health risks in individuals with their genetic variations, as well as to determine genealogy of individuals (for example, 23 and Me, National Geographic and WorldFamilies.net). Further, many companies use genetic information to diagnose disease, including mental conditions.
Examples of measurement of biological molecules to diagnose medical conditions include tests such as the widely available pregnancy tests and other over the counter assays available to consumers and medical laboratories; yet these examples do not specifically describe or predict behavior, a feature that is desirable for merchants and consumers.
US 2003/0083822 A2 discloses a method for determining drug effects based on correlating animal biological phenotype with animal behavior after ingesting a drug, comprising: (i) obtaining behavioral and physiological measurements, and one or more of neurological and biochemical measurements, for one or more animals treated with a test compound; (ii) comparing the obtained data with a signature that represents a probability relationship between a response of an animal to a test compound and a set of predictor variables which define correlations between observed behavioral, neurological, biochemical and/or physiological responses and known drugs and/or predetermined genetic traits. The relationship may be derived through using at least one automated non-linear algorithm. Finally, from the comparison data of step (ii), the suitability for further clinical development of the test compound is determined.
US 2011/0224912 discloses a method for quantifying the effect of a medication on a patient. The method comprises the steps of: providing a monitoring platform capable of measuring one or more physiological parameters; obtaining a first set of measurements of the physiological parameters from the patient by using the monitoring platform; compiling a first signature from the first set of measurements; and comparing the first signature with a second signature compiled previously to determine the probability of a change in the physiological parameter.
US 2011/0230732 discloses a system for monitoring physiological conditions of an individual to enable responses (e.g. feedback, recommendations, rewards or guidance) to be presented to the individual within the context of electronic media. The system comprises at least one monitor enabling the measurement of at least one physiological parameter associated with the health status or change of health status of said individual and at least one evaluator that is contained substantially within at least one electronic device. The evaluator can receive physiological data from the monitor and determine the health status or a change in health status of the individual. At least one response is generated by at least one evaluator, based upon a comparison of the determined status to current, past, comparative, or stored physiological data. The response may be conveyed to the individual via electronic media for the purpose of improving the health of said individual.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,034 B2 discloses a method of monitoring the posture of a clothed subject by acquiring information on positional displacements of the surface of the subject's body, and computationally determining the posture changes of the positional displacements of the surface of the subject's body. Some limited emotional conditions may be inferred from the posture information, such as a degree of relaxation, a degree of stress or a state of joy or anger of the person. The patent also discloses that, based on the inferred emotional conditions, recommendations may be made to the person for assisting the person, such as choice of music.
The present invention provides a method for correlating human biological parameters with human behavior and/or emotional states, and optionally to temporal location. Such correlations will enable adaptation of the living environment and lifestyle of the individual, by, for example, suggesting activities, products, services, etc. to the individual based on predicted behavior and/or emotional states. Correlations can further be used to predict behavior, including preferences, wellness needs and desires, and/or emotions. Feedback, advice and guidance can be provided to individuals based on such correlations. Such correlations are further useful for product and service providers and industries for purposes of standardizing or rating product quality and efficacy, and/or for promotion and selling purposes.